This information explains what to expect during your ketamine infusion treatment at MSK.
About Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Ketamine is a medication used to help you manage neuropathic pain (nerve pain) during and after your cancer treatment. Ketamine infusion slows down your pain-sensing nerves that send pain messages to your brain. This may reduce your pain level and makes you feel relaxed. The infusion may bring you pain relief over the next few days and weeks.
Your doctor may recommend you have ketamine infusion therapy if you:
- Have side effects from other pain medications.
- Don’t get enough relief from other pain medications.
- Have pain that is difficult to control.
Ketamine infusion therapy works quickly. You may start feeling better right away.
Each treatment session lasts 4 to 6 hours. You may want to bring a book or music to help pass the time during your session.
Most people get long-term pain relief (pain relief lasting at least 1 month) after 2 or 3 sessions. Once this pain relief happens, you may continue receiving therapy. Most people receive treatment once a month. Your doctor will discuss with you how often you should receive treatment.
1 Week Before Your Treatment
Arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment
After your treatment, you may feel drowsy and will not be able to drive. You must have a responsible care partner take you home. If you don’t, your treatment will be canceled.
A responsible care partner is someone who can help you get home safely. They should be able to contact your care team if they have any concerns. Make sure to plan this before the day of your treatment.
If you don’t have a responsible care partner to take you home, call one of the agencies below. They’ll send someone to go home with you. There’s a charge for this service, and you’ll need to provide transportation. It’s OK to use a taxi or car service, but you still need a responsible care partner with you.
| Agencies in New York | Agencies in New Jersey |
| VNS Health: 888-735-8913 | Caring People: 877-227-4649 |
| Caring People: 877-227-4649 |
The Day of Your Treatment
- Do not eat anything after midnight.
- Drink only clear liquids from midnight to 2 hours before your treatment.
- Do not drink anything starting 2 hours before your treatment.
Follow a Clear Liquid Diet
You will need to follow a clear liquid diet the day of your treatment. A clear liquid diet includes only liquids you can see through. Examples are listed in the “Clear Liquid Diet” table.
While you’re following this diet:
- Do not eat any solid foods.
- Try to drink at least 1 (8-ounce) cup of clear liquid every hour while you’re awake.
- Drink different types of clear liquids. Don’t just drink water, coffee, and tea.
- Don’t drink sugar-free liquids unless you have diabetes and a member of your healthcare team tells you to.
For People with Diabetes
If you have diabetes, ask the healthcare provider who manages your diabetes what you should do while you’re following a clear liquid diet.
- If you take insulin or another medication for diabetes, ask if you need to change the dose.
- Ask if you should drink sugar-free clear liquids.
While you’re following a clear liquid diet, make sure to check your blood sugar level often. If you have any questions, talk with your healthcare provider.
| Clear liquid diet | ||
|---|---|---|
| OK to have | Do not have | |
| Soups |
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| Sweets |
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| Drinks |
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Things to Remember
- Wear something comfortable and loose-fitting.
- Take your pain medication and other medications as you normally do.
- Arrive on time. Your treatment may have to be rescheduled if you arrive late.
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If you’re going to be late, call after 6 a.m. to tell your care team. Leave a message with the charge nurse or unit assistant.
- If your treatment will be at the Josie Roberson Surgery Center, call 646-888-7046.
- If your treatment will be at MSK Monmouth, call 848-225-6090.
- You will need to give your nurse the name and phone number of the person or agency service that will be taking you home after your treatment. If you don’t have this information, your treatment will be canceled.
Visitor Policy Changes During COVID-19
To keep patients, staff, and visitors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, we may change our visitor policy more often than usual. Visit www.mskcc.org/visit for the most up-to-date information.
Where to Go
Remember, you will not be able to drive for the rest of the day after your treatment. You must have someone drive you to and from your appointment.
Your ketamine infusion treatment appointment will be at one of the MSK sites below.
Josie Robertson Surgery Center
1133 York Ave. (between East 61st and East 62nd streets)
New York, NY 10065
There are several options for parking at the JRSC. There’s a valet service at the JRSC entrance. If you use this service, the valet will park your car next door in the City Parking garage. The valet service is free, but you will need to pay the parking garage fee when you leave the JRSC. For more information about parking, call 646-888-7100.
If you choose not to use our valet service, there are nearby garages. You will have to pay to park in these garages.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth
480 Red Hill Rd.
Middletown, NJ 07748
There’s a valet service at the MSK Monmouth entrance. The service is free.
What to Expect
When you arrive for your appointment, a staff member will direct you to the check-in area. A staff member can walk with you or bring you there in a wheelchair, if needed.
Check in at the reception desk, then have a seat in the waiting area. A staff member will meet you and bring you to the treatment suite.
Your nurse will ask you for the name and phone number of the person who will be taking you home after your treatment. If you don’t have someone to take you home, your treatment will be canceled.
During Your Treatment
Your nurse will talk with you about your treatment and answer your questions. They will also ask you questions about your pain level. Your nurse will use your responses to adjust the medication for your treatment. You can learn more about describing your pain by watching our video How to Describe Your Cancer Pain.
During your treatment, you will lie on a bed with a pillow and blanket. Your nurse will help you get comfortable and will place an intravenous (IV) line into your arm. The IV line will be connected to a machine that will give you low doses of ketamine. This should make you feel relaxed.
Your nurse will keep track of your temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen levels during your whole treatment. They may not be in your room the whole time. If you need anything while your nurse is out of your room, you can use the call bell to reach them.
Your treatment will take 4 to 6 hours.
You may feel nauseous (like you’re going to throw up) and drowsy at the start of your treatment. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, tell your nurse. They will adjust your treatment to make you feel better.
When your session is finished, you will stay in the treatment suite for about 1 hour to recover from your treatment.
After Your Treatment
- Your nurse will go over any discharge instructions you have to follow after your treatment.
- You will feel drowsy right after your treatment. You should spend the rest of your day resting.
- You may have other side effects. Your doctor will give you more information.
- Don’t sign any important documents or make any important decisions for 24 hours after your treatment. You may feel drowsy and not fully alert.
- Don’t drive for the rest of the day after your treatment.
- You can follow your normal diet after your treatment.
- You can go back to doing your usual activities the day after your treatment.
- Continue taking your pain medication, unless your doctor or nurse tells you to stop.
- A nurse will call you 1 to 3 days after your treatment to see how you’re feeling.
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Call your healthcare provider if you:
- Feel nauseous.
- Vomit (throw up).
- Feel dizzy.
- Feel confused.
- Have any questions or concerns.
Contact Information
If you have any of these side effects after your treatment, call the Anesthesia Pain Service at 212-639-6851. You can reach us Monday through Friday from to If it’s after , during the weekend, or on a holiday, call 212-639-2000. Ask for the anesthesia pain person on call.